Funding helps brings cheer with street entertainment

Funding helps brings cheer with street entertainment

1 July 2020

A £1,000 funding initiative from the Housing Executive helped bring some cheer to the streets of Downpatrick over recent weeks.

The funding was made available to the town’s community collective and six of its member groups under the housing organisation’s Covid-19 response fund.

Designed to help tackle social isolation issues among residents through live entertainment and brighten up the town with floral displays, the Executive’s cash boost also funded a live singer, flame juggler and a clown and a young Viking who passed through the streets in a vehicle, allowing residents to sing, dance and enjoy the musical extravaganza from the safety of their doorstep. 

In addition, pot plants were provided to over 500 people to promote the health and wellbeing benefits of gardening, as well as improving the physical appearance of estates with hanging baskets and planted half whiskey barrels. 

Community groups also hosted a range of fun activities that were socially distanced, including street bingo and armchair aerobics. 

The groups that took part in the initiative included the Marian Park, Model Farm, Meadowlands, Bridge Street and Mount Crescent community associations, Stream Street Residents’ Association and Tosù Ur.

Community Collective chairman Dan McEvoy said the Covid-19 response funding helped bring “enormous joy” to many residents within the Downpatrick area. 

He said that through its community support project, the Collective has tackled social isolation issues amongst residents, in particular, the elderly and more vulnerable people.

“Although coordinated through the Collective, all groups have been proactive in getting their communities involved in what has been a community driven success for everyone,” Mr McEvoy explained.

Marian Park resident Rita Rogan was delighted with the community project.

“It was fantastic to enjoy a visit from the Community Collective with the music trailer, flame juggler and clown,” she said.

“For weeks we have been housebound and the visit brightened up our evenings and it was all done whilst adhering to social distancing. My family stayed safely in our garden and had a full view of the entertainment. Fantastic, funding well spent.” 

Jacqueline Trainor, who lives at Pemberton Park, described the community support project as “brilliant” and said that being an older person, she was delighted to have this at her front door.

“Volunteers managed the traffic and well done to everyone involved,” said Jacqueline. “The fantastic community spirit brought a smile to our faces and was something we really needed.”

The Housing Executive’s head of communities, Denise Conlon, said community groups across Northern Ireland had made “incredible efforts” to ensure they are assisting the most vulnerable throughout the Covid-19 lockdown period.

She added: “As an organisation, we have been so proud to have been able to provide support to their amazing activities through our Covid-19 Response Fund and we commend them for their work.”